


Helping Hands

by ticklishblaine (lightsandsparks)



Category: Glee
Genre: AU, Baristas, Blood, Height Differences, M/M, Nosebleed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-02-17
Packaged: 2018-05-21 04:28:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6038041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightsandsparks/pseuds/ticklishblaine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: We’re both baristas and sometimes I have trouble reaching for things and I show up to work one day to find a personalized stool with hearts and my name on it i hATE YOU but also thanks</p>
            </blockquote>





	Helping Hands

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Sarah for the beta <3

When Blaine moved into his tiny apartment on the third floor, he had absolutely no idea he’d be lucky enough to get hired at the tiny coffee shop that his home shared a building with.

At first, the convenience of simply being able to walk downstairs in order to fuel his coffee addiction was simply too appealing to resist. Blaine found himself making frequent visits, sometimes up to three at day. Eventually, he became enough of a regular to get in good graces with almost every single barista in the store - all he had to do was mention that he was looking for a job and he was practically hired on spot. 

Blaine’s been working there for almost a year now. It’s the best job he could have asked for at this point in his life; between his college classes and endless amounts of homework, all he needs to do when he has a shift is walk downstairs. Because of this ease of accessibility, he never really has to miss work and can even pick up extra shifts as needed. As a result, he becomes a reliable member of his team and is often the one chosen to train new hires.

So, when Kurt Hummel is hired, he thanks his lucky stars he has this excuse to spend as much time with him as humanly possible.

Kurt is beautiful like no man he’s ever seen. He’s tall and lean and muscular (oh gosh is he _ever_ muscular), his hair is always perfectly styled, and his bright eyes make Blaine’s breath catch in his throat anytime he dares to look into them. He tries not to let himself get distracted from his job - Kurt has no previous barista experience and has a lot to learn - but how can he concentrate when he’s standing to next to the most gorgeous man in New York City?

Blaine quickly realizes what he’s feeling for Kurt might be mutual. Their training sessions are full of silly jokes and giggling, blushing cheeks and “accidental” brushing hands. Between Blaine’s instructions during their downtime, there’s lots of opportunity for chatting and they quickly learn that they have a lot in common: both of them attend NYADA, though due to Kurt being a year ahead of Blaine, they’ve never actually seen each other in passing. Additionally, they both came from small towns in Ohio that aren’t very far apart, and both moved to New York with dreams of pursuing careers on Broadway. 

They quickly become self-proclaimed best friends, but Blaine would be lying if he said he wasn’t falling just a little bit in love.

—

Blaine is good at his job. Really, he is.

It isn’t his fault that he’s cursed with his family’s short gene, okay? Luckily, it doesn’t affect his day-to-day life very often.

However, they go through a _lot_ of caramel syrup at the coffee shop, and the extra bottles are located in cupboards just above the counters, always just a few inches out of his reach.

Blaine isn’t exactly _proud_ of the fact that he’s short, and the last thing he would want to do is call attention to that fact, lest Kurt notice and find him less attractive. So, even though Kurt has a good three inches on him in addition to obviously longer arms (and legs, oh god those _legs_ ), Blaine opts instead to stand on tippy-toes and struggle to grab the extra bottle of caramel syrup that an impatient customer has already been waiting a few minutes too long for.

“What are you doing?”

Blaine startles, so focused on the task at hand that he hadn’t noticed Kurt approaching.

“Uh, just getting some syrup?” Blaine answers lamely, still trying to raise himself ballerina-style so he can close the inch or so of space between himself and the needed item.

Blaine glances over his shoulder for a moment and sees Kurt eyeing him suspiciously. “Do you need some help?”

“No!” Blaine answers quickly. “No thank you, I’m fine!” In a moment of adrenaline-induced panic, Blaine hops up just high enough to reach the bottle. It’s slightly too heavy to grab as easily as he expected and his hand almost slips, but luckily he manages to catch it and bring it down safely.

Blaine hears Kurt gasp behind him. “God, Blaine!” he breathes as he follows Blaine back to the latte machine. “Please just ask for my help next time, okay? I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Feeling his cheeks burn with embarrassment, Blaine simply nods, despite the fact that he knows in his heart that having to stoop to asking for Kurt’s help is highly, highly unlikely.

—

Two months later, disaster strikes and Blaine isn’t sure he’s ever going to live it down.

It’s a Saturday afternoon and the coffee shop is extremely busy as usual. Kurt has picked up on the job quicker than anyone he’s ever trained and is now working efficiently by himself. Therefore, he’s very wrapped up in frothing a cappuccino when Blaine notices they’ve used their last pump of hazelnut syrup. The new bottle is located in that godforsaken cabinet and even if he wanted to ask for help, Kurt probably wouldn’t be able to provide it for another few minutes at least. 

There’s a line practically out the door and they’re understaffed today, so Blaine makes a quick decision. He jumps up just like he did last time, but somehow a miscalculation occurs and the bottle catches on the side of the cupboard, knocking it from his grasp. Instead of falling backwards however, it falls forward, and before Blaine can even react it’s hitting him right on the nose, and _ouch_ , that really, really hurt.

Blaine lets the bottle fall to the floor as he lets out an involuntary whimper, grasping his nose instinctively as it throbs sharply. To make things worse, he feels tears begin to sting at his eyes and oh no… why does his nose feel like it’s running?

There’s a hand on his back and he knows instantly that it’s Kurt. “Blaine? Honey, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Blaine pulls his hand away from his face and to his horror, his palm is covered in bright red blood. He wants to sink into the ground and never return from the depths of humiliation that his less-than average height has just bestowed upon him. Or at least hide from Kurt, who is definitely going to think he’s a giant, clumsy idiot. 

Well, maybe not the _giant_ part, but still. Definitely a clumsy idiot.

“Blaine!” he hears Kurt gasp, cutting through his internal self-deprecating monologue. “That’s blood, oh my god. Let’s get you to the bathroom okay?”

Blaine simply nods, feeling a tear leak onto his cheek. 

Vaguely, he listens to Kurt asking their coworker to take over for a few minutes. Blaine feels bad for leaving her all alone on a day like today, but wow, his nose hurts really bad and as far as he can tell, the bleeding hasn’t stopped or even started to slow down at all. 

In the bathroom, Kurt has Blaine sit down on the closed toilet lid and hands him some toilet paper, instructing him to tilt his head back. Blaine isn’t sure if Kurt has noticed his tears. It’s always been his natural reaction to pain and he can’t exactly help it, but it’s still embarrassing. Thankfully, Kurt hasn’t said a word about them.

“Now, do you want to explain to me what that was all about?”

Blaine looks up at Kurt from his awkward position. “What do you mean?” he asks, genuinely confused.

“I told you to ask for my help next time or you were going to get hurt! And now look what’s happened.”

Blaine sniffles; if Kurt is trying to make him feel better, then he _really_ isn’t succeeding. “Sorry.”

Kurt sighs. “No, no, don’t be sorry, sweetie. I understand.”

Blaine feels his eyebrows furrow. “How could you understand? You’re tall. You don’t have to live your life like a lowly little hobbit, having to ask for help to reach things and always standing on your tippy-toes. I’m pathetic.”

“Blaine…” Kurt hesitates, like he isn’t sure what to say, or is just choosing his words extremely carefully. “You’re not pathetic. And you’re definitely not a hobbit, either. Maybe you’re a little on the short side, but so what? I think you’re absolutely perfect.”

Blaine looks up at Kurt, who’s staring down at him intently. “A-actually… you’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever met and I wouldn’t change a thing about you!” Kurt rushes out. Now it’s his turn to look embarrassed. 

Blaine’s elegant response is a simple, “Huh?” 

“I-I’m sorry!” Kurt shakes his head. “I hope your nose is okay I should go!” he turns to leave, but Blaine jumps up, grabbing him by the apron before he can sprint out the door. 

“Wait, wait,” Blaine pleads. Kurt spins around, his eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. “I’m sorry, Kurt, I was just surprised? I think it’s all the blood loss.” Blaine had meant it as a joke to lighten the mood, but Kurt looks even more horrified at the comment, a hand flying to cover his mouth.

“I’m joking!” Blaine is quick to reassure. “I’m fine, really.” Blaine knows he looks ridiculous at the moment, eyes red rimmed as he holds a wad of toilet paper stained with blood to his face. In addition, he thinks his voice might sound a bit garbled and nasally, but he knows he has to do this.

“I feel the same way about you, Kurt,” Blaine starts, after taking a deep breath to steel himself. “I didn’t want to ask you for your help, because I didn’t want you to think less of me. I know shortness isn’t always attractive to everyone and I wanted you to think I’m attractive because well… I really like you?”

Finally, Kurt’s smiling at him, albeit a little shyly. “You do?”

“Yeah, and I’d kiss you right now to prove it but I’m all gross at the moment, so…”

Before Blaine can react, Kurt is the one kissing _him_. It’s quick and sweet and isn’t much more than lips touching lips because as Blaine mentioned, he’s still in the middle of a nosebleed, but it communicates the intended message very clearly, as far as he’s concerned.

When they pull back, Blaine can’t help it - he starts cracking up. The entire situation is ridiculous; they’re in a dirty coffee shop bathroom and Blaine just whacked himself in the face with a bottle of hazelnut syrup because he’s so damn short, and honestly he’s a little drunk on giddiness right now, but it’s just really funny, okay?

Luckily, Kurt seems to think so, too. He giggles a little before taking Blaine’s hand and squeezing it. “We should get back out there. Has the bleeding stopped yet?”

Blaine removes his tissue, giving himself a moment to consider. When a few moments go by and he hasn’t felt any further dripping in his nose, he nods his head in the affirmative, earning him one of Kurt’s beautiful smiles.

“I’m glad. Let’s get you cleaned up, okay?”

They spend another few moments in the bathroom as Kurt gently wipes Blaine’s nose clean with a damp paper towel. When Blaine is deemed good as new, Kurt surprises him by planting a light kiss on the apple of his cheek, making Blaine feel like he’s flushed all the way down to his toes. Honestly, he’s kind of ready to start making out with Kurt right then and there, but they have a job to do and there’ll be plenty of time for that later, hopefully.

By the end of their shift, they have plans to go see a musical and have dinner next week: their first official date. 

—

Kurt is off the next day, sadly. Blaine isn’t opening the shop, and he walks in around noon in his own little world, still reeling from last night. He and Kurt have been texting since they woke up. He’s nose-deep in his phone and so unaware of his surroundings that he almost sustains his second work-related injury in 24 hours by tripping over something on the ground.

Looking down curiously, Blaine is shocked to find a white stool at his feet, right under the cupboard where he hurt himself last night. Upon further inspection, he realizes that the stool has his name painted on it in perfect handwriting, surrounded by little red hearts. There’s a small pink post-it note attached to the side as well. It reads:

_Blaine,_

_Not everybody nose what it’s like to be short, but I hope this stool will help you find out what it’s like snot to be. :)_

_\- Kurt._

Blaine starts cracking up in earnest, heart blooming as his feelings for Kurt increase tenfold. Plus, if he’s being honest with himself, he really did desperately need that stool.

And Blaine makes good use of it, for sure. But only on Kurt’s days off. Because honestly? From that day on, even if Blaine thinks he can probably reach something by himself, it’s worth it to ask help, if for no other reason than to have Kurt press against him for just a moment to reach over his head. 

Maybe being short isn’t so bad after all.


End file.
